23 Xenophon’s Anabasis

Upon  hearing this report Xenophon immediately proceeded to make a libation himself (Euthys oun Xenophón autos te espende), and directed his attendants to fill a cup for the young men (kai tois neaniskois enchein ekeleue) and to pray to the gods who had revealed the dream and the ford (kai euxesthai tois phénasi theois ta te oneirata kai ton poron), to bring to fulfilment the other blessings also (kai ta loipa agatha epitelesai). The libation accomplished (speisas d’), he at once led the young men to Cheirisophus (euthus ége tous neaniskous para ton Cheirisophon), and they repeated their story to him (kai diégountai t’auta). And upon hearing it (akousas de) Cheirisophus also made libation (kai ho Cheirisophos spondas epoiei). Thereafter (speisantes de) they gave orders to the troops to pack up their baggage (tois men allois paréngellon suskeuazesthai), while they themselves (autoi de) called together the generals (sunkalesantes tous stratégous) and took counsel (ebouleuonto) as to how they might best effect a crossing (hopós an kallista diabaien) so as to defeat the enemy in front (kai tous te emprosthen nikóien) without suffering any harm from those in the rear (hupo tón opisthen méden paschoien kakon). The decision was (kai edoxen autois), that Cheirisophus should take the lead (Cheirisophon men hégeisthai) with half the army and attempt a crossing (kai diabainein echonta to hémisu tou strateumatos), that the other half with Xenophon should stay behind for a while (to d’ hémisu eti hupomenein sun Xnophónti), and that the baggage animals (ta de hupozugia) and camp followers (kai ton ochlon) cross between the two divisions (en mesói toutón diabainein).

When these arrangements were satisfactorily made (Epei de tauta kalós eichen), they set out (eporeuonto), the young men leading the way (hégounto de hoi neaniskoi) and keeping the river on the left (en aristerai echontes ton potamon); and the distance to the ford was about four stadia (hodos de én epi tén diabasin hós tettares stadioi). As they proceeded (poreuomenón d‘ autón), the squadrons of the enemy’s cavalry kept along opposite to them (antiparéisan hai taxeis tón hippeón). When they reached the ford (epeidé de ésan kata tén diabasin tou potamou), they halted under arms (ethento ta hopla), and Cheirisophus put a wreath upon his head, threw off his cloak, and took up his arms, giving orders to all the others to do the same (kai autos prótos Cheirisophos stephanósamenos kai apodus elambane ta hopla kai tois allois pasi paréngell); he also directed the captains (kai tous lochagous ekeleuen) to lead their companies in column (agein tous lochous orthious), part of them upon his left and the rest on his right (tous men en aristerai tous d’ en dexiai heautou). Meanwhile the soothsayers were offering sacrifice to the river (kai hoi manteis esphagiazonto eis ton potamon), and the enemy were shooting arrows and discharging slings (hoi de polemioi etoxeuon kai esphendonón), but not yet reaching their mark (all’ ou  pó exiknounto); and when the sacrifices proved favourable (epei kala én ta sphagia), all the soldiers struck up the paean (epaianizon pantes hoi stratiótai) and raised the war shout (kai anélalazon), while the women, every one of them, joined their cries with the shouting of the men (sunolóluzon de kai gunaikes hapasai) – for there was a large number of women in the camp (pollai gar ésan hetairai en tói strateumati).

Then Cheirisophus and his division proceeded into the river (Kai Cheirisophos men enebaine kai hoi sun ekeinói); but Xenophon took the nimblest troops of the rearguard (ho de Xenophón tón opisthophulakón labón tous euzónotatous) and begun running back at full speed to the ford (ethei ana kratos palin epi ton poron) [i.e. the original ford, which had proved impracticable] that was opposite the road which led out into the Armenian mountains (ton kata tén ekbasin tén eis ta tón Arnenión oré), pretending that he meant to cross at that point (prospoioumenos tautéi diabas) and thus cut the horsemen who were by the side of the river (apokleisein tous par ton potamon hippeas). The enemy thereupon (hoi de polemioi), when they saw Cheirisophus and his division crossing the river without difficulty (horóntes men tous amphi Chirisophónta eupetós to hudór peróntas) and likewise saw Xenophon and his men running back (horóntes  de tous amphi Xenophónta theontas eis t’oumpalin), were seized with fear that they might be cut off (deisantes mé apoléphtheiésan), and they fled in full speed to reach the road which led up from the river (pheugousin ana kratos hós pros tén tou potamou anó ekbasin). This road once gained (epei de kata tén hodon egenonto), they hastened on upward in the direction of the mountain (eteinon anó pros to oros). Then Lycius, who commanded the squadron of Greek cavalry (Lukeios d’ ho tén taxin echón tón hippeón), and Aeschines (kai Aischinés), commander of the battalion of peltasts that was with Cheirisophus (ho tén taxin tón peltastón tón amphi Cheirisophon), upon seeing the enemy in full flight (epei heórón ana kratos pheugontas) set off in pursuit (heiponto), while the rest of Greek troops shouted to them not to fall behind (hoi de stratiótai eboón mé  apoleipesthai), but to follow the fugitives right up to the mountain (alla sunekbainein epi to oros). As for Cheirisophus, after getting across (Cheirisophos d’ au epei diebé) he chose not to pursue the hostile cavalry (tous hippeas ouk edióken), but immediately pushed up over the bluffs that reached down to the river (euthus de kata tas prosékousas ochthas epi ton potamon exebainen) against the infantry on top of them (epi tous anó polemious). And these troops (hoi de anó), seeing their own cavalry in flight (horóntss tous men tous heautón hippeas pheugontas) and hoplites advancing upon them (horóntes d hoplitas sphisin epiontas), abandoned the hights above the river (ekleipousi ta huper tou potamou akra).

Xenophon no sooner saw that all was going well on the other side (Xenophón epei ta peran heóra kalós gignomena) than he started back with all speed to join the troops that were crossing (apechórei tén tachistén pros to diabainon strateuma), for by this time the Carduchians could be seen descending into the plain with the manifest intention of attacking the hindmost (kai gar hoi Kardouchoi phaneroi édé ésan eis to pedion katabainontes  hós epithésomenoi tois teleutaiois). Meanwhile Cheirisophus was in possession of the bluffs (kai Xeirisophos men ta anó kateiche), and Lycius, venturing a pursuit with his small squadron (Lukios de sun oligois epicheirésas epidióxai), had captured the struggling portion of the enemy’s baggage train (elabe tón skeuophorón ta hupoleipomena) and with it fine apparel and drinking cups (kai meta toutón esthéta te kalén kai ekpómata). And now, with the Greek baggage train and the camp followers in the very act of crossing (kai ta men skeuophora tón Hellénón kai ho ochlos akmén diebaine), Xenophon wheeled his troops so that they took a position facing the Carduchians (Xenophón de strepsas pros tous Kardouchous antia ta hopla etheto), and gave orders to the captains (kai paréngelle tois lochagois) that each man of them should form his own company by squads (kat’ enómotias poiésasthai hekaston ton heautou lochon), moving each squad by the left into line of battle (par’ aspida paragagonts tén antómotian epi phalangos); then the captains and squad leaders were to face toward the Carduchians (kai tous men lochagous kai enómotarchous pros tous Kardouchous einai) and station file closers on the side close to the river (ouragous de katastésasthai pros tou potamou). But as soon as the Carduchians saw the rearguard stripped of the crowd of camp followers (hoi de Kardouchoi hós heórón tous opisthophuakas tou ochlou psiloumenous) and looking now like a small body (kai oligous édé phainomenous), they advanced to the attack all the more rapidly (thaton dé epéisan), singing a kind of songs (óidas tinas aidontes). As for Cheirisophus (ho de Cheirisophos), since everything was safe on his side (epei ta par’ autói asphalós eiche), he sent back to Xenophon the peltasts, slingers, and bowmen (pempei para Xenophónta tous peltastas, kai sphendonétas kai toxotas), and directed them to do whatever Xenophon might order (kai keleuei poiein ho ti an parangelléi). But when he saw them beginning to cross (idón de autous diabainontas), Xenophon sent a messenger (Xenophón pempsas angelon) and directed them to stay where they were (keleuei autou meinai), on the bank of the river (epi tou potamou), without crossing (mé diabantas); at the moment, however, when his own men should begin to cross (hotan d’ arxóntai autoi diabainein), they were to enter the river opposite them, on this side and that (enantious enthen kai enthen sphón embainein), as though they were going to cross it (hós diabésomenous), the javelin men with hand on the thong and the bowmen with arrow on the string (diénkulómenous tous akontistas kai epibeblémenous tous toxotas); but they were not to proceed far into the river (mé prosó de tou potamou probainein). The orders he gave to his own men were (tous de par’ autou paréngellen), that when sling-stones reached them and the shields rang (epeidan sphendoné exiknétai kai aspis psophéi), they were to strike up a paean and charge upon the enemy (paianisantas thein eis tous polemious), and when the enemy turned to flight and the trumpeter on the river-bank sounded the charge (epeidan anastrepsósi hoi polemioi kai ek tou potamou ho salpiktés séménéi to polemikon), they were to face about to the right (anastrepsantas epi doru), the file closers were to take the lead (hégeisthai men tous ouragous), and all of them were to run and cross as fast as they could (thein de pantas kai diabainein hoti tachista héi hekastos tén taxin eichen) with every man keeping his proper place in the line, so that they should not interfere with one another (hós mé empodizein allélous); and he that got to the other side first would be the best man (hoti houtos aristos esoito hos an prótos en tói peran genétai).